Short answer: the Wharfedale Diamond 12.1. It ranks #21 of 87 bookshelf speakers by sound quality at $599; the Pioneer Elite SP-EBS73-LR ranks #82 and costs $749, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
What the Wharfedale Diamond 12.1 offers: A budget two-way bookshelf speaker (5” polypropylene woofer, 1” textile dome tweeter) that measures well for its price: harmonic distortion at 86dB stays under 1% THD down to about 60Hz, genuinely good for a 5” mid-woofer. Wide horizontal radiation of about ±60° up to roughly 5kHz before the tweeter starts to beam. Tonally smooth and easy to listen to at moderate volumes, with a pleasant, non-fatiguing character the reviewer said he’d happily recommend to someone who wants noticeably better fit, finish and looks than typical speakers in the $300-400 range. A high-pass crossover around 80Hz meaningfully cleans up midrange multitone distortion, so pairing it with a subwoofer helps more than usual for a speaker this size. Watch for: A dip of about 3dB in the 1-3kHz crossover region (on-axis, in the predicted in-room response, and even off-axis) gives the speaker a soft, “laid-back” character that noticeably saps attack and transient bite from drums, guitar and other percussive material - possibly an intentional BBC-style dip, but one the reviewer would still prefer tuned flat. Vertical directivity is unusually tight for this class of speaker, holding together only within about ±5° of the tweeter axis before a real hole opens up in the response, so seating height matters a lot more than on most bookshelf designs. Diffraction artifacts around 3kHz and 5kHz show up as differences between the listening-window and on-axis curves. Distortion climbs well past acceptable levels at higher output - harmonic distortion exceeds 3% around 150Hz at 96dB (versus under 1% at 86dB), multitone distortion tops 10% at 96dB/1m, and real compression sets in between 96-102dB (about 1.5dB of lost dynamic range around 300Hz at 102dB/1m, roughly equivalent to 92dB for a pair at 4m in a room) - a genuine limitation on how loud or how far away this speaker can be pushed. Measured average sensitivity (84dB) runs a few dB below the 87dB spec. Only a 5” woofer, so a subwoofer is required for real bass.
What the Pioneer Elite SP-EBS73-LR offers: Unique dual-driver design combines a front-facing 3-way speaker with an up-firing 2-way Dolby Atmos coaxial driver in one cabinet, designed by Andrew Jones. With corrective EQ applied, the reviewer found “substantially more brilliance and detail,” and the up-firing Atmos driver produced “remarkable” spatial effects from a single box. Watch for: A wide dip between 3-10kHz makes the front speaker sound “somewhat dull” without EQ, and impedance dips below 4 ohms demand a capable amplifier. Distortion is elevated at the crossover points, around 180Hz and 2600Hz. Amir concluded: “The hole in frequency response and high distortion around the crossover point rule out this speaker for any kind of hifi use, certainly at these prices.” Long discontinued.
Buy the Wharfedale Diamond 12.1. It ranks higher for sound quality than the Pioneer Elite SP-EBS73-LR and costs less, so there is no real case for the other one.
If sound quality matters at all to you, skip the Pioneer Elite SP-EBS73-LR. It ranks near the bottom of the 87 bookshelf speakers, so look higher up the list instead.
Specifications Side By Side
| Wharfedale Diamond 12.1 | Pioneer Elite SP-EBS73-LR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $599 Discontinued | $749 pair, discontinued |
| Ranked | #21 of 87 in Medium Size Bookshelf Speakers | #82 of 87 in Medium Size Bookshelf Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 46Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 45.9Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 61Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 64.5Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Crossover Frequency | 2.6kHz | - |
| Dimensions | 12.2"H x 7"W x 10.9"D (310 x 178 x 277 mm) | 15.7H x 7.4W x 9.7D in |
| Impedance | 8 ohms nominal (3.9 ohms minimum above 80Hz, measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | below 4 ohms minimum |
| Sensitivity | 84dB (measured by Erin’s Audio Corner; 87dB manufacturer specified) | 85dB (manufacturer specified) |
| Drivers | 5" advanced polypropylene cone woofer, 1" textile dome tweeter | 5.25" aluminum-cone woofer, 2x 4" aluminum-cone midrange, 2x 1" silk dome tweeter (front 3-way + up-firing 2-way Atmos coaxial) |
| Discontinued | Yes | - |
| Weight | 15 lbs / 6.8 kg each | 15.7 lbs / 7.1 kg each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported | - |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More useful head-to-heads from the same speaker class:
- JBL L52 Classic vs Jamo C 93 II
- Arendal 1961 Monitor vs Neumi BS5
- Arendal 1961 Monitor vs Jamo C 93 II
- ELAC Uni-Fi 2.0 UB52 vs Pioneer Elite SP-EBS73-LR
- Monitor Audio Silver 50 7G vs Wharfedale Diamond 12.1
Prices on this page were last checked August 25, 2026 at 6:19 AM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
The Two Speakers In Full
Wharfedale Diamond 12.1: $599 Discontinued eBay
Pros: A budget two-way bookshelf speaker (5” polypropylene woofer, 1” textile dome tweeter) that measures well for its price: harmonic distortion at 86dB stays under 1% THD down to about 60Hz, genuinely good for a 5” mid-woofer. Wide horizontal radiation of about ±60° up to roughly 5kHz before the tweeter starts to beam. Tonally smooth and easy to listen to at moderate volumes, with a pleasant, non-fatiguing character the reviewer said he’d happily recommend to someone who wants noticeably better fit, finish and looks than typical speakers in the $300-400 range. A high-pass crossover around 80Hz meaningfully cleans up midrange multitone distortion, so pairing it with a subwoofer helps more than usual for a speaker this size.
Cons: A dip of about 3dB in the 1-3kHz crossover region (on-axis, in the predicted in-room response, and even off-axis) gives the speaker a soft, “laid-back” character that noticeably saps attack and transient bite from drums, guitar and other percussive material - possibly an intentional BBC-style dip, but one the reviewer would still prefer tuned flat. Vertical directivity is unusually tight for this class of speaker, holding together only within about ±5° of the tweeter axis before a real hole opens up in the response, so seating height matters a lot more than on most bookshelf designs. Diffraction artifacts around 3kHz and 5kHz show up as differences between the listening-window and on-axis curves. Distortion climbs well past acceptable levels at higher output - harmonic distortion exceeds 3% around 150Hz at 96dB (versus under 1% at 86dB), multitone distortion tops 10% at 96dB/1m, and real compression sets in between 96-102dB (about 1.5dB of lost dynamic range around 300Hz at 102dB/1m, roughly equivalent to 92dB for a pair at 4m in a room) - a genuine limitation on how loud or how far away this speaker can be pushed. Measured average sensitivity (84dB) runs a few dB below the 87dB spec. Only a 5” woofer, so a subwoofer is required for real bass. Discontinued.
Full Wharfedale Diamond 12.1 review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 46Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 61Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Crossover Frequency | 2.6kHz |
| Dimensions | 12.2"H x 7"W x 10.9"D (310 x 178 x 277 mm) |
| Discontinued | Yes |
| Drivers | 5" advanced polypropylene cone woofer, 1" textile dome tweeter |
| Impedance | 8 ohms nominal (3.9 ohms minimum above 80Hz, measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Sensitivity | 84dB (measured by Erin's Audio Corner; 87dB manufacturer specified) |
| Weight | 15 lbs / 6.8 kg each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Erin’s Audio Corner: Wharfedale 12.1 Budget Bookshelf Speaker with “Laid Back” sound but output limited. More from Erin’s Audio Corner →
- Audio Science Review Wharfedale Diamond 12.1 More from Audio Science Review →
- Erin’s Audio Corner Website: Wharfedale Diamond 12.1
- Audio Science Review Measurements (spinorama.org)
- Reddit Search for Wharfedale Diamond 12.1 Review
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Wharfedale Diamond 12.1 vs Carmody S2000
- Wharfedale Diamond 12.1 vs Radiant Acoustics Clarity 4.2
- Wharfedale Diamond 12.1 vs Wharfedale Super Denton
- Wharfedale Diamond 12.1 vs Klipsch RP-500M II
- Wharfedale Diamond 12.1 vs KEF Q150
- Wharfedale Diamond 12.1 vs Wharfedale Diamond 220
- Wharfedale Diamond 12.1 vs Monitor Audio Silver 50 7G
- Wharfedale Diamond 12.1 vs Revel M105
- See all 37 comparisons
Pioneer Elite SP-EBS73-LR: $749 pair, discontinued eBay
Pros: Unique dual-driver design combines a front-facing 3-way speaker with an up-firing 2-way Dolby Atmos coaxial driver in one cabinet, designed by Andrew Jones. With corrective EQ applied, the reviewer found “substantially more brilliance and detail,” and the up-firing Atmos driver produced “remarkable” spatial effects from a single box.
Cons: A wide dip between 3-10kHz makes the front speaker sound “somewhat dull” without EQ, and impedance dips below 4 ohms demand a capable amplifier. Distortion is elevated at the crossover points, around 180Hz and 2600Hz. Amir concluded: “The hole in frequency response and high distortion around the crossover point rule out this speaker for any kind of hifi use, certainly at these prices.” Long discontinued.
Full Pioneer Elite SP-EBS73-LR review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 45.9Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 64.5Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Dimensions | 15.7H x 7.4W x 9.7D in |
| Drivers | 5.25" aluminum-cone woofer, 2x 4" aluminum-cone midrange, 2x 1" silk dome tweeter (front 3-way + up-firing 2-way Atmos coaxial) |
| Impedance | below 4 ohms minimum |
| Sensitivity | 85dB (manufacturer specified) |
| Weight | 15.7 lbs / 7.1 kg each |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Pioneer Elite SP-EBS73-LR vs Ascend Sierra Luna
- Pioneer Elite SP-EBS73-LR vs Definitive Technology ProMonitor 1000
- Pioneer Elite SP-EBS73-LR vs Klipsch R-41M
- Pioneer Elite SP-EBS73-LR vs Polk T15
- Pioneer Elite SP-EBS73-LR vs JBL Control 1 Pro
- Pioneer Elite SP-EBS73-LR vs Fluance Signature HFS
- Pioneer Elite SP-EBS73-LR vs JBL Stage A130
- Pioneer Elite SP-EBS73-LR vs Q Acoustics 5020
- See all 29 comparisons